1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pulpwood chippers, and more particularly, to the chute and spout assembly of a pulpwood chipper.
2. Discussion of Background
In the manufacturing of paper, debarked logs of pulpwood are fed into chippers which break down the log into small wood chips. In the past, large, uniformly-sized logs were fed into such chippers one log at a time. There was thus no concern about one log interfering with another to the point where it would jam the chute and spout assembly leading to the chipper, and thereby prevent advance of the logs.
Paper pulp demand, however, has resulted in increased loads being fed into wood chippers. It is now common practice to feed many different-sized, irregular logs into a wood chipper simultaneously, including logs from three (3) inches to eight (8) inches in diameter. These logs tend to become misaligned as they fall toward a chipper's cutting blade and cause a logjam in the chipper's chute and spout assembly.
When the chute becomes jammed, it must be cleared for the logs to progress. The current method used to clear a chipper chute and spout assembly involves manually grasping and dislodging an interfering log from the top of the chute. Typically, the dislodging is carded out using tongs having a pair of handles and a grabbing end, or by using slings to pull the jammed logs up.
Because of the enormous amount of electrical power required to start a chipper disc, it has been a common practice to attempt to clear jammed logs without turning off the chipper's motor. In some instances, an instrument used to clear the logs may be pulled down abruptly toward the knives of a chipper disc, and effectively destroy the entire chipper knives and/or disc.
It will be appreciated that clearing jammed logs in a chipper chute by manually inserting an instrument into a chipper chute and spout assembly is inefficient and dangerous. There is, therefore, an urgent need for a better solution to the problem of wood chipper chute and spout assembly logjams.